It is the longest level in Halo 3. It is the last level in which you fight the Covenant (excluding the Easter Egg Grunt on the final level). It is also one of only four levels that is cut into three rally points, rather than two—the others are the previous missions, The Ark, Sierra 117, and Crow's Nest. This level is significant as it is the Covenant's last stand. After the Covenant have been defeated, there is only one last threat the UNSC have to deal with: the Flood. It is also the first level in which you can use the Spartan Laser. The IWHBYDSkull is found on this level, as well as the Thunderstorm Skull. (Click here for details on how to acquire them).

Commander Keyes (COM): "Johnson! Can you hear me?! (No response) Chief, you need to link up with the Arbiter and proceed directly to the Third Tower. Make your way back to the beach."

-(Co-op change) Commander Keyes (COM): "Chief, you need to link up with the Elites and proceed directly to the Third Tower. Make your way back to the beach."

The Chief hurries back to the elevator, and heads back down. After clearing another of group of Jackals and Grunts attacking the Marines holding the lower floor, the Chief and his squad get back outside to their vehicles, or meet up with transport if they have no vehicles left.

Hocus (COM): "Sir, I've got a flock of birds that need an escort. Take a Hornet; get those Pelicans safely to the Third Tower."

The Chief and his accompanying soldiers meet up with the Hornets and other Marines who held the beach. The Chief and a pair of Marine wingmen get in a Hornet, and the other Hornets assist to clear the airspace of the Second Tower, the Marines aided by a pair of cloaked Separatist Phantoms. Though fighting a large number of Banshees with assistance from a distant Phantom and an Anti-Air Wraith on a nearby island, the Chief and his allies overcome the Loyalist defences.

If the Chief tries to land on the Second Tower (where the fifth Terminal and the Thunderstorm Skull is located):

Thel 'Vadam (Elite in Co-op) (COM): "Second Tower is clear, Spartan, no need to land. Let us hasten to the Third Tower."

The Chief and company proceed to the Third Tower. Upon reaching its airspace, they are met with heavy resistance, both in the air and on the ground, consisting of at least a dozen Banshees, a Phantom, a few Shade Turrets, a pair of Anti-Air Wraiths, and a handful of Brutes, Jackals and Grunts in the areas behind the Shades.

Pelican Pilot (COM): "Objective in sight, Commander... No sign of Johnson or his team."

Commander Keyes (COM): "Understood. Chief, clear an LZ, then get inside the tower."

After the UNSC airborne forces take out the Wraiths and Phantom, the Separatist Phantoms decloak and drop off Thel 'Vadam and his group of Elites and assault the infantry at the tower's entrance. The Chief assists the Elites, scouring the outside of remaining armour and infantry. The Chief lands the Hornet and joins the Elites on the ground. The Marines from Pelicans and Hornets follow up, and secure the perimeter around the entrance to the Third Tower, where 'Vadam and the Elites join the Chief to assault the inside of the tower. They push on inside the tower, encountering two small swarm of Drones, a pair of Hunters, and a large pack of Brutes with their Grunt and Jackal subordinates. The Chief, 'Vadam and their allies overcome this defense and secure both the bottom floor and the elevator (where the sixth Terminal is located).

Thel 'Vadam: "Darken this tower and the barrier will fall. Go, Spartan! We have no time to waste."

Thel 'Vadam and the remaining Elites hold the room while the Master Chief heads up. The Chief secures the top floor, after encountering a War Chieftain wielding a Plasma Cannon, assisted by Cloaked Brute Stalkers.

Commander Keyes (COM): "Hit the switch, Chief, and the barrier will fall!"

A Slipspace rupture suddenly appears. High Charity emerges from it, and plummets down towards the Ark.

Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "High Charity... By the gods. Brace for impact!"

The structure flies far over the Citadel and the Separatist Carrier. Debris from High Charity strikes right through the Shadow of Intent's hull. A Flood dispersal pod then breaks apart in midair. Part of the pod crashes right through the window right above the Chief. It stops as it hits the elevator window, glowing eerily. The Chief raises his Assault rifle and prepares to engage the Flood.

{Gameplay}

A small group of Human Flood Combat Forms emerge from the rubble, followed by Infection Forms that quickly rush to assimilate the fallen Brutes. The Chief quickly eliminates these few hostiles and goes down the elevator.

Commander Keyes (COM): "Shipmaster, what's your status?"

Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "Significant damage! Weapon systems disabled!"

Commander Keyes (COM): "Move to a safe distance, stay away from the Flood."

Rtas 'Vadum (COM): "Why would the Parasite come here?!"

343 Guilty Spark (COM):(alarmed) "The Ark is out of range of all the active installations! Priority: We must contain this outbreak, before-"

Commander Keyes (COM): "No. First, we stop Truth. Then we deal with the Flood."

The Chief links up with the Elites and the Arbiter, who are under attack by Flood Combat Forms, including assimilated Elites of their company. After eliminating all Flood forces in the tower, they get outside to find Flood Combat and Carrier forms right outside the door. After dealing with this surprise attack, the Chief and the Elites find the Marines, assisted by some Elites, a landed Separatist Phantom with an Elite using the Plasma Turret, and 343 Guilty Spark; engaged in combat with the Flood, and assist in overthrowing them. 'Vadam proceeds to come aboard the landed Phantom.

343 Guilty Spark: "Quickly, I must see the point of impact; assess the damage done to the Ark."

Thel 'Vadam: "To the top of these hills, Oracle, no higher. We cannot risk your capture by the Flood."

Thel 'Vadam takes 343 Guilty Spark with him. A Pelican drop a Gauss Warthog, a Mongoose, and a Scorpion Tank for the assault on the Citadel, along with a few Marines. The Chief, Marines, and what remains of the squad of Elites mount up and prepare for what could be their final battle with the Covenant.

Commander Keyes (COM): "Shipmaster's Carrier is out of commission, Chief. I need you to take down Truth. The Flood's just going to put pressure on him; accelerate his plans. Punch through the cliffs! Get inside that Citadel!"

The Assault Team gets through the snowy cliffs, where they encounter a few small Covenant emplacements of a Deployable Tower and Choppers guarded by a pack of Brutes.The Chief and his group easily destroy this outpost and soon find themselves on the cliffs around the Citadel.

The Assault Team clears the cliff, facing Ghosts, Shade Turrets, Banshees, Deployable Towers, Prowlers, and many Brutes armed with heavy weapons. Once they are dealt with, a lone Wraith near a Deployable Tower is the only thing standing in their path, and once taken out they meet with Hornet Gunships near the route down into the clearing, with Warthogs and Mongeese fighting Ghosts, Choppers and Prowlers in the valley that leads to the Citadel, along with Pelicans and Hornets fighting Banshees in the skies above.

Marine Sergeant (Stacker) (COM): "Hornets, inbound!"

Depending on choice, the Master Chief takes a Hornet and makes his way to the Citadel, when a pair of Scarabs suddenly drop down from above him and his allies.

Pelican Pilot (COM) "I count two Scarabs! Repeat: two Scarabs!"

With the choice Chief chooses, the Assault Team backs him up, and an epic battle commences: The Scorpion Tank gives long range covering fire from the cliffs while the Warthogs and a Mongoose move about under the Scarabs to assist Chief in taking their "legs" down with Rocket Launchers and Gauss Cannons whilst dealing with the Brutes and Grunts manning the ground vehicles, and the Hornets engage the Scarabs and Banshees from the air. But more Ghosts, Banshees and another Prowler help to defend the Scarabs.

More Brutes surround Miranda and Johnson. Miranda fires away at the Brutes with her Shotgun. Their armor spark from the shots, but the short-range weapon does not do severe damage to them, and they remain on their feet.

Prophet of Truth: "You delay the inevitable. One of you will light the rings."

Keyes hesitates, lowering her pistol slightly with sadness on her face.

Sergeant Johnson: "Now!"

Keyes straightens up and aims. Five Spiker shots are heard.

Commander Keyes: (gasp)

Keyes drops her weapons. Johnson starts to run to her aid.

Sergeant Johnson: "No!"

A Brute Captain restrains Johnson, who still struggles, horrified. Miranda Keyes falls to her knees, collapses, and dies, with five glowing spikes in her back. Truth slowly steps on screen, gingerly holding a Spiker in hand.

Prophet of Truth: "Your forefathers wisely set aside their compassion..."

He looks down at Miranda and drops the Spiker, and shakes a fist to emphasize his speech.

Prophet of Truth: "...steeled themselves for what needed to be done."

Truth walks up to Johnson.

Prophet of Truth: "I see now why they left you behind."

Sergeant Johnson is brought up to the control panel.

Prophet of Truth: "You were weak...and gods must be strong."

He forces Johnson's hand down on the panel with a smug look. Johnson, overcome with grief and shock from Miranda's death, doesn't resist. Instantly the Control Terminal begins to change and heighten. Truth raises his arms in triumph. Six out of Seven Holographic Halo Rings light up one by one (Installation 04 had been destroyed, so its ring does not light up). At the end of the corridor, the Chief and Thel 'Vadam emerge from the lift. Two Flood Tank Forms drop from above. The Master Chief draws his Assault rifle and aims, and 'Vadam activates his Energy Sword.

Gravemind (through the Tank Forms): "Do not shoot, but listen! Let me lead you safely to our foe. Only you can halt what he has set in motion."

Infection Forms scurry past Thel 'Vadam and the Master Chief.

They lower their weapons cautiously. Several Infection Forms scurry between their feet towards their common enemy, the Prophet of Truth. The Master Chief and 'Vadam look at each other, obviously not trusting the Flood, but knowing they have no other choice.

The Master Chief, The Arbiter, and the Flood begin their assault on the remaining Covenant infantry, the Flood charging and assimilating Brute after Brute, while 'Vadam, Energy Sword to bear, makes a mad charge on the Loyalists. After encountering heavy resistance whilst crossing a bridge guarded by Brutes, Grunts and Jackals armed with heavy weapons, they reach a room with a hologram of Truth' placed on either side.

At the second bridge, the Covenant forces make their final resistance. The Master Chief and the Arbiter eventually defeat the last of Truth's followers - including a BruteChieftain wielding a Gravity Hammer, and his Bodyguards.

At the second room, Truth's holograms broadcast a final message.

Prophet of Truth (Hologram): "So far are we along the path, that I must strain to hear the clumsy patter of their pursuit. Know this my brothers, they may foul the way with their charred and broken bones, but they will not stop the Journey."

The resistance on the third bridge has already been routed by the Flood. A light bridge is all that remains to reach Truth.

Master Chief and The Arbiter cross the light bridge, and come across Johnson, who is resting the dead Miranda Keyes on his lap by her head next to the Pelican. The pair stare into Miranda's empty eyes, until Johnson closes them gently.

The Chief continues to stare at Miranda, shoulders slumped, obviously disheartened, while 'Vadam approaches the crawling form of Truth, his Energy Sword turned off but at the ready. He grabs Truth by his robes and points his currently harmless sword in his face.

Prophet of Truth: (Weakly) "Can you see, Arbiter? The moment of salvation is at hand."

Thel 'Vadam: (grabbing Truth by the throat) "It will not last!"

Prophet of Truth: "Your kind... never believed in the promise of the sacred rings."

Gravemind (Speaking through Truth): "Lies for the weak. Beacons for the deluded."

At this moment, 'Vadam draws his Energy Sword back and activates it, ready to kill his former leader.

The Chief deactivates the Ark. The six holographic Halo rings dim. A Flood body begins to stir.

Prophet of Truth: (being held aloft by 'Vadam) "I...am...Truth! The voice of the Covenant!"

Thel 'Vadam turns Truth away from him and grabs his neck viciously. Truth's crown falls off as he pitifully gasps for air, trying to grab 'Vadam's hands.

Thel 'Vadam: "And so, you must be silenced."

The Arbiter kills the Prophet of Truth.

Thel 'Vadam stabs his sword through Truth's back. It goes clean through him; the two points of the Energy Sword poke through his chest.

Truth: "Ahhhhhh!

Truth writhes and screams in pain. Flood spores shoot out of his mouth and the infection lets out a pitiful squeal. The last of the High Prophets is dead.

Thel 'Vadam lets Truth's corpse fall to the floor. 'Vadam lets out a roar of triumph and deactivates his sword. The Chief looks at him and nods, acknowledging him for ending the life of the Prophet who declared war on humanity; they then turn to see Johnson carrying Miranda's body into the Pelican. There is a moment of silence as they realize their victory has not been without loss.

Suddenly, the ground begins to tremble, and massive tentacles rise up all around them. Chief wields his Assault rifle and 'Vadam reactivates his sword. They both stare up at the tentacles, which are now reaching high above them. The Gravemind laughs manically.

Johnson leaps into the Pelican cockpit and starts to take off. The Chief climbs onto the Control Panel of the Ark and jumps onto the Pelican's landing gear. Chief grabs onto Thel's hand. Just before the Pelican is out of the hole in the Control Room window that Miranda made, both are knocked off by the tentacles, sending the Pelican spiraling out of control. On the ring, the tentacles swerve around them and multiple Flood forms appear.

Gravemind: "Now the gate has been unlatched, headstones pushed aside...corpses shift and offer room, a fate you must abide!"

Thel 'Vadam holds his sword at the ready, and the Chief takes aim with his Assault rifle. They come back to back.

Thel 'Vadam: (almost exasperated) "We trade one villain for another."

The tentacles retreat and Combat Forms come up from the control panel.

{Gameplay}

Sergeant Johnson (COM): "I can barely keep hold of her, Chief! No way I could pick you up! Head back to the lift... find a way down!"

Both heroes fight their way through hordes of Flood, which have betrayed them now that the Halo rings have been deactivated. Fortunately, the Sentinels are also here and are fighting the Flood.

Cortana (Cortana Moment): "I'm a thief...but I keep what I steal."

Master Chief and Thel 'Vadam make it back. The lift is not working, so they jump down a shaft at the back of the room.

The Chief lands at the bottom of the shaft, landing in a room not unlike the entrances to the three Shield Towers. He looks beside him as the Arbiter comes down, and then stands up. A flickering, spooky image of Cortana appears in the hallway, running. She starts to turn the corner and disappears, after a split second. The Chief casually walks around the corner as though amused by Cortana's antics, but 'Vadam is confused.

Thel 'Vadam: "What do you see?"

With 'Vadam trailing far behind, the Chief looks around the corner. He sees a control panel. Cortana appears a second time, again for only a second, walking loftily (and spookily) towards it. She stops at the panel and disappears. The Master Chief goes to the panel and activates it.

A view screen slides open, the Chief and 'Vadam step out onto a balcony to watch as a massive structure rises up out of thick fog. It's a Halo Ring, incomplete, rising from inside the Ark's Core. Cortana's plan is becoming clear.

At the start of "If you want it done right..." fly through the level as normal, and when you come to the construct where Sergeant Johnson's team lost contact, land on the right side. Go up against the back wall and look for a covenant weapon case. It holds a fuel rod gun with 15 extra shots.

There is a second Spartan Laser near the crashed Pelican at the beginning of the level.

Bungie has stated that this is the longest level in the whole Halo Trilogy partially because it is the Covenant's "last stand" against Humanity.[citation needed]

Upon entering the Citadel (after you defeat the two Scarabs), the Cortana Moment you experience before the cutscene is projected on the holoscreens, mirroring what is in your visor.

It is possible to get into the second tower that the Arbiter disabled using the Time Travel Glitch. The tower's interior is just an empty space with nothing inside, not even floors or walls as you can see in this here.

Occasionally, while a corpse is being infected by the flood, without the first Infection form dying, another Infection Form may enter it. Despite this, only one Infection Form will be present in the combat form. The other infection form will be attempting to dig into the corpse.

Occasionally, when a Banshee pilot dies, or when you board one, the Brute will be holding a human Battle Rifle.

At the part where the Flood offer to help you in stopping the firing of the rings, if you have subtitles on, when the Gravemind says "halt," the subtitles say "stop."

It is possible to "drive" a Scarab in this level. First kill one then land on the other. Kill all enemies then stand on the top. It will walk towards the direction you are aiming at because it's AI is scripted to follow you.

You can actually ride in certain Pelicans in this level by bringing your Hornet right up to the back of the Pelican, getting out, and holding "RB." If you did it right you will ride in the Pelican.

At Rally Point Alpha, on the island where the Phantom deploys the Anti-air Wraith, you can trick the game into believing that you're stranded on the island. Then the game will spawn a Hornet piloted by a Marine Pilot who will land it on the island and offer it to you. You can have infinite Marine Pilots and an infinite number of Pilot controlled Hornets by exploiting this causing the map to overload.

It is possible to progress through the level without destroying the anti-air Wraith. The Pelican will not arrive and no enemies will spawn in the canyon that you would otherwise drive through.

When the Prophet of Truth is killed by the Arbiter during the cutscene, he loses his crown. However, when the gameplay resumes and Truth is dead on the floor, he is still wearing his crown.

Near the end of the cutscene in which the Arbiter kills the Prophet of Truth, two Brute Flood Combat Forms are seen climbing over the Ark's controls to attack the Chief and the Arbiter. However, when gameplay resumes, it is two Elite Flood Combat Forms that are standing in front of the Ark's controls.

When you deactivate the shield in the third tower where Johnson failed to do so, you are attacked by Flood who come crashing through a window. However, when the tower is seen from outside (in the area with the two Scarabs), the glass is intact.

The Pelican that crashes at the start flies past the wreckage and lands at the waterfall—it doesn't land where its crash site was positioned. Sometimes, its two pilots' bodies can be found in or around the water below the waterfall.